Why use OVS HW Offload over SRIOV

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Hi,
My understanding is OVS HW Offload still uses SRIOV with the VM connected to a NIC VF for the data plane. However, there is additional functionality where a NIC representor port connects from the NIC to OVS for control plane. I'm probably missing something but is this additional functionality just for cases where the VM may communicate to another VM in this same OVS? In this case the "offload" doesn't happen?

It seems you could just use SRIOV and do the L2 switching in the TOR switch.

Thanks in advance.

John

JN

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